Apparatus for pumping wells



F. E. SCHEIDER ET AL,

APPARATUS FOR PUMPING WELLS Orlgnal Flled Dec 24, 1935 inuit.. Pw

Maly 2 4, 1938.

/N VE N TORS 9- 19. I] UIIHUUB E 29,, n .U1 M

Patented May -24, 1.938

PAT-ENT OFFICE.

ananas Y l APrAaA'rUs ron comme. wELLs Frederick Edmund schemer andJames can Hinkle, Los Angeles, Calif.; vsaid Hinkle assignor to saidScheider Beliled for abandoned application Serial No. 55.968, December24, 1935. This application June 15, 1937, Serial No. 148,364

z claims. `(ci. ins- 44) An object of this invention is to provide aneflicient apparatus for pumping wells particularly 4deep wells suchas-oil wells. This application is a duplicate of and is refiled forabandoned applicanon serial Number 55,968.

In wells of great depth; the utilization of the conventionalfo'rms ofpumping equipment` has reached, and in many instances exceeded the limitY of economical and efficient use and it is therefore 1o an object ofthis invention to provide an apparatus whereby wells, regardless ofgreat depth, ma be economically and emciently pumped.

Another object is to provide a reliable and ei cient apparatus forpumping wells wherein the lli use of sucker rod equipment isineiilclent, costly and not infrequently impossible. y

' A'iurther object is to provide an apparatus of the character describedwhich utilizes the inherent forces of the well to function in the pumping operation and thereby reduce pumpingcosts `and increase production.

' A further ,object of the invention is to eliminate the use of suckerrods in well pumping equipment. With the above and other objects in viewthe w invention consists in the novel combination of parts hereinafterdescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and set forth in theclaims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes inform, proportion, size and minor details of construction within thelscope of the claims may be resorted to without'departing from the spiritor sacriiicing any of the advantages of the invention. l

'Referring to the drawing: Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectionalView of a well exeniplifying one embodiment of the invention.

Figure '2 is a reduced cross sectional view on line 2-2 of Figure l. lFigure 3 is a `reduced cross sectional view on line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is avertical sectional view showing a variational form of theinvention.

In carrying out one embodiment of the present invention, independentliquid columns capable 4of cou'nterhalancing one another are created inthe well to be pumped either by providing partitioned or divided pipelines or by utilizing independent pipe lines within the well casing orby any suitable means.' Next, the coliunns are interactively connectedso that a counterbalancing iorce'derived from the hydrostaticequilibrium of the liquid in said columnsis interactively applied fromone to the other of the columns. This l5 procedure creates`substantially counterbalanced v viding forx a less expensive and moreefdc'ient pumping of wells regardless of the depth thereof. Theinteractive connection of the two columns may be provided through themedium of suitably valved plungers, or by any other means which willtransmit from one column to the other the counterbalancing force of saidcolumns while, however, maintaining said columns independent. 'I'he nextstep is that of alternately applying a pumping power increment to theliquid columns, which increment alternately coacts with the respectivecounterbalanclng forces of the columns and causes rst one and then theother to be depressed whereupon iirst one and then the other `oi? thecolumns will be raised suiliciently to cause the liquid to flow out ofthe top of the well.

This step may be accomplished by alternately applying to the tops ofsaid liquid columns a force from alternately actuated power plungers orrams whereby to depress one column and raise `the other and vice versaas aforesaid.

Inasmuch as the forces of equilibrium of the two liquid columns functionin the pumping operation; but a relatively small power increment isrequired to cause theliquid columns, to flow from the top of the well.

4As here shown the apparatus comprises a well l comprised of the wellcasing 2 in which is mounted a pipe line 3 embracing the liquid columnli. Within the line- 3 is a pipe line ii embracing the liquid column 6.Both oi the pipe `lines 3 and 5 illustrated as forming the independentliquid columns 4 and 6 extend the entire depth of the well.A The lowerend of the pipe line 5 terminates in the plungerbarrel 'l of sumcientlength /to provide the plunger stroke desired. The pipe line 3Aterminates in the casing or barrel 8. The plunger barrel 'l ispositioned and secured oil-center, Figure 2, in the ,casing 8 for thepurpose of accommodating, in small bore apparatus, the several valvedports later described.

The lower end of the casing 8 is disclosed as at 9 with relation'to theplunger barrel l.

Within theplunger barrel l is fixed the partition, I0 through and inwhich the tubular plunger rod Il is slidably mounted. The upper end ofthe rod Il is provided with the piston or plunger head I2 operating inthe upper portion of the barrel 1 against the liquid column 6, there`liquid columns in-a well, a factor making the elimination of suckerrods possible aswell 'as probeing an opening I3 through the plunger l2to the bore of the plunger rod l I which opening is controlled bytheupwardly opening check valve |14.

Atfits lower end and within the extension I5 I 'head areas requisite ordesired, the tubular rod or plunger II constitutes or carries theplunger head I8. Port openings I1 communicate with the bore Ilcontrolled by the check valve I4 in plunger head I2. 'I'he extensionor'plunger barrel I5 is providedv with the liquid inlet opening I3communicating'with the well supply and controlled by the inwardlyopening check valve 20 and the outlet openings 2Ir communicating withthe liquid coiumn 4 which Ireelysurrounds the plunger barrels 1 and I5.'nie outlet openings 2I are controlled by the outwardly opening checkvalves 22.

Below the partition I3 the plunger barrel is provided with the inletopenings 23 forming a sealed passage through the liquid column 4 andcommunicating with the well liquid supply, admission oi which to theplunger barrel is controlled by the inwardly opening check valves 24.Above the partition III and below the plunger head I 2, when the latteris in its lowermost stroke position, the plunger barrel is provided withthe openings or ports 25 freely permitting the liquid of the liquidcolumn 4 to have inlet and outlet flow relative to the movement o! theplunger head I2 in relation to the ilxed partition I0.

The tops of the pipe lines 3 and 5 forming the liquid columns 4 and 6are closed as at 26 and21 with the exception of the vent valves 23 and23 and. the pipe line connections 30 and 3l for connection of the liquidcolumn actuating power source. In simple form, a power operated plungeror ram 32 is connected with the upper end of line 3 and a similar -powerunit 33 is connected to the upper end of line l. These power units aresynchronously driven by any suitable means of power application notshown. The power units 32 and 33 are provided with the outlets 34 and 35through which liquid ilows or ispumped from the well and by means ofwhich the entire system may be primed or charged with liquid.

'Ihat portion of the plunger barrel below the ilxed portion I3 isdivided by the plunger head Il into the chambers A and B whereby theapparatus-is of the double action type wherein discharge of the liquidto be pumped occurs on each stroke oi the piston.

Operation is as follows:

Upon lowering the apparatus into the well with the parts in the positionshownin Figure 1, liq- The power unit 3241s now operated to exert apumping power increment on the liquid in column 4 and this column nowilows through the ports 25 and acts upon the plunger head I2 causing theplunger ensemble parts C to rise whereby the liquid from the well supplyin chamber A, closed to the well supply by the check valves 24, iscaused to iiow through theports I1 bore Il and raise the check valvevI4; and, upon continuedrising of the plunger, is caused to ilow into theliquid column 3 during the full upstroke of the plunger head I2 causedby the-relative movement of the ram 32. Upon the initial upilow of theliquid in column I the ram 33 is retracted to the position, shown indotted lines, exposing the outlet 3l through which the stroke volume oi'the chamber A ilows from the well. Simultaneously,

during the upstroke oi the plunger C, liquid from well supply enterschamber B through the inlet valved port I9.

'I'he pumping power increment is now applied to the ram 33 causing theliquid therein to ilow into the column 6 whereupon' the plunger C iscaused to make .the down stroke. During this down stroke the liquid oicolumn 4, caused by the ram 32 to iiow through the ports 2 5 to raisethe plunger C, is now caused by the ram 33 to ilow out through the ports25 into the liquid column 4 and in addition causes the liquid in thechamber B, closed to the well supply by the check valve 20, to flowthrough the outwardly opening check valves 22 into the column 4. Uponthe initial upilow of the liquid in column 4, the ram 32 is retracted tothe position shown thereby exposing the outlet 34 through which thestroke volume of chamber B flows from the well. 'I'he movementsdescribed constitute a pumping cycle continuance of which will pump thewell.

It will now be apparent that the plungeren-f either liquid column, whenstationary or while.

moving, any force applied to the other, while concurrentlymaintaining-the independence of the liquid columns.v

It should be noted that the stroke oi' the plunger ensemble C may bedetermined and regulated by the stroke of the rams 34 and 35.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 4 operates undercounterbalanced liquid columns E and F having pressure applied theretoalternately in the same manner as in the previously described form ofthe invention. plunger head 40 at the top of the plunger 4I is exposedto the lower end of column F whereas the lower vside of said plungerhead is exposed through the openings to the other column E whereby theplunger is eiIective to transmit the interactive force of said columnsfrom one to the other thereof while maintaining said columns1ndepen'dent of one another.

The plunger barrel 43 in which the plunger 4I operates has a valvedintakeopening 44, communicating with the supply of liquid inthe well.and is also provided with the valved outlet opening'45 rcommunicatingwith the liquid column E.

On the upstrokeA of the plunger liquid Ilows- 44 is closed and theliquid is caused to Ilow out of the plunger barrel 43 through the valvedoutlet 45 into column E which there'i'ore4 rises until the liquidthereof flows out of the top of the well.

l. In well pumping apparatus, a well including independent pipe linesarranged one within the other and containing liquid columns which arecapable of substantially counterbalancin'g one another, a. poweroperated means for alternately applying pressure to the top of saidliquid columns, a plunger ensemble operative adjacent to the lower endsof said pipe lines to separate said liquid columns and to transmit theforces of said columns from one to the other thereof, a plunger barrelcontiguous with the lower end d! the inner pipe line,l a partitiondividing said barrel into upper and lower sections, said plungerensemble including a tubular plunger rod slidable in said partition, aplunger head on the upper end of .said rodY having a port therethroughThel communicating with the bore of said tubular rod, an upwardlyopening check valve controlling said port, a plunger head on the lowerend of said rod, said tubular rod having an opening in its lower endabove the lowermost plunger head communicating with the lower section ofsaid barrel, said barrel having an open port above the partition andbelow the upper plunger head when the latter is in its lowermostposition, a liquid intake member for said barrel located below thepartition and communicating the supply of well liquid with the portionof the lower barrel section located above the lower 'plunger head, aninwardly opening check valve controlling said intake member, said barrelhaving an outlet port opening into the outer pipe line from the portionof the barrel located below the lower plunger head, an outwardly openingcheck valve controlling said outlet opening, means closing the lower endof the outer pipe line, said barrel having a liquid intake opening atits lower end communicating with the supply of liquid in said well andan upwardly opening check valve controlling 4the last named opening.

2. In well pumping apparatus a well including independent pipe linescontaining liquid columns, a power operated means for alternatelyapplying pressureto thetops of said liquid columns, a

plunger means operative in said pipe lines to separate said liquidcolumns and to transmit the forces of said columns from one to the otherthereof, a plunger barrel contiguous with the lower vend of one pipeline, a partition dividing said barrel into upper and lower sections,said plunger means including a tubular plunger rod slidable in saidpartition, a plunger head on the lupper end of said rod, a plunger headon the lower end of said rod, said plunger rod having an opening thereinat its lower end and an opening atl its upper end which lattercommunicates with the barrel Vspace above the upper plunger head, avalve controlling the last named opening, said barrel having an openport above the partition, a liquid intake member located between thelowermost plunger head and said partition and communicating with thesupply of liquid in said well, an inwardly opening check valvecontrolling said intake member, said barrel having'an outlet portopening into one pipe lineV from the portion of the barrel located belowthe lower plunger head, an outwardly opening check valve controllingsaid outlet opening, means closing the lower ends of said pipe lines andproviding an intake communicating the lower end of the barrel with thesupply of liquid in said well, and an upwardly opening check valvecontrolling said intake.

' FREDERICK EDMUND SCHEIDER.

JAMES CARL HINKLE.

